<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Mindfulness-based interventions have been studied as an alternative treatment for anxiety disorders, but there are only a few studies comparing these with established treatments. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> To evaluate the efficacy of a Body in Mind Training (BMT) program for adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), an active comparison protocol called Quality of Life and Psychoeducation (QoL), and treatment with fluoxetine (FLX). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This study comprises a 3-arm parallel-group, randomized clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03072264). Adults with a primary diagnosis of GAD and no current treatment were recruited from the community and randomized in a ratio 1:1:1. The primary outcomes were assessed by means of the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) at week 8. Data were analyzed using a superiority analysis (BMT vs. QoL) and a noninferiority analysis (BMT vs. FLX). <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 249 participants were included and 223 were analyzed (76 BMT, 79 FLX, and 68 QoL). All groups improved after intervention. However, BMT was not superior to QoL at week 8 (mean difference = –1.36; <i>p</i> = 0.47), nor was it noninferior to FLX as assessed with theHAM-A (mean difference = 3.5; 95% CI –0.06 to 7.06; noninferiority margin = –2.43; <i>p</i> = 0.054). QoL (mean difference = 3.54; <i>p</i> = 0.04) and FLX (mean difference = –7.72; 95% CI –10.89 to –4.56; noninferiority margin = –2.09; <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) were superior to BMT in reducing PSWQ score. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Our data suggest that BMT, in its current format, cannot be considered an effective mindfulness protocol to improve GAD.

Objective: Eating behavior is affected by psychological and neurocognitive factors. However, little is known about this relationship in anxious patients. Our aim was to investigate the associations between impulsivity, inhibitory control, energy-dense food consumption, and body mass index (BMI) in women with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 51 adult females with GAD answered the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and participated in a go/no-go task using food images. Anthropometric measurements were evaluated. A food frequency questionnaire and a snack test were used to study eating behavior. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression were performed to analyze the variables of interest, adjusted by age. Results: Impulsivity predicted intake of sugar (p = 0.016, 95%CI 0.67-6.05), total fat (p = 0.007, 95% CI 0.62-3.71), and saturated fat (p = 0.004, 95%CI 0.30-1.48). The snack test showed a positive correlation between presence of impulsivity and intake of biscuits (R = 0.296; p = 0.051). Response inhibition to food images in the go/no-go task paradigm did not predict BMI or food intake. Conclusion: Impulsivity was predictive of higher sugar and saturated fat intake in women diagnosed with GAD. Our findings add to the literature regarding the association between neuropsychological factors and food consumption in this specific population.

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Introduction: Individuals diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) search for pleasurable foods to avoid their negative emotional experiences. An ineffective regulation of negative emotions may be a risk factor for emotional eating, leading to suffering, dysfunctional behaviors and weight gain. The aim of this study is to understand the relationship between emotional dysregulation and emotional eating, investigating potential mediators as the intensity of the worry, avoidance of internal experiences, mindfulness and self-compassion in female anxious patients. Methods: Participants from a randomized clinical trial diagnosed with GAD answered the instruments at baseline: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21), Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), Action and Acceptance Questionnaire (AAQ), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) in this cross-sectional study. We estimated Pearson correlation coefficients and performed mediation analyses. Results: We evaluated 51 individuals and 34 female participants completed all the questionnaires. Our data showed that emotional eating was positively correlated with emotional dysregulation (r=0.593; p<0.001), worry trait (r=0.402; p=0.018), and avoidance of internal experiences (r=0.565; p<0.001), whereas it was negatively correlated with self-compassion (r=-0.590; p<0.001) and mindful state (r=-0.383; p=0.026).Moreover, we demonstrated that self-compassion mediates the relationship between emotional dysregulation and emotional eating (ab product estimate = 0.043, 95% CI [0.003 to 0.084]). Conclusion: Our findings could add to the literature by identifying psychological factors that could mediate the association between emotional dysregulation and emotional eating, allowing more effective eating behavior intervention targets in patients with GAD.